


Pretty

by Cock_Zero



Category: Bandom, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Child Abuse, M/M, Mentions of Rape, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 20:01:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/665898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cock_Zero/pseuds/Cock_Zero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The last thing Frank wanted was for his best friend to end up in the hospital.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pretty

**Author's Note:**

> Based off KoRn's Pretty.

Frank’s back was pressed to the wall, cover loose around his shoulders and remote next to his bare feet. Gerard had been out of the room for a few minutes, microwaving them some popcorn for their movie marathon. He hummed, wiggling his toes and pursing his lips when he heard the front door slam.

Gerard’s dad was home. Frank could hear him talking to Gerard, but couldn’t make out what was being said. Until he raised his voice, that is.

“No, you did not! Big fucking surprise!” Don shouted from the kitchen and Frank hunched his shoulders. 

He’d heard his friend’s dad yell before but he was a scary man and Frank never liked conflict. He’d just sit and wait, never mentioning the arguing to Gerard.

“I’m sorry,” Gerard said, voice wavering. “You weren’t home yet and I di-“

A smack rang through the house and Frank yelped, slapping his hand over his mouth. He heard Don growling something and he strained his ears to listen. Gerard appeared at the door, startling him and shutting it softly before handing the bowl of popcorn to Frank. He crawled onto the bed, wrapping the cover tight around both of their bodies.

“Gerard?” Frank whispered, watching as Gerard ignored him. His eyes were shiny and his lip trembled slightly. Frank bit his own lip when he saw the bright pink bruise on his jaw. He tried talking again only to be shushed as Gerard pressed play on the remote and the sound of the _Universal_ logo filled the room.

Frank pressed close to Gerard, sliding an arm around his waist when the older started to drift off to sleep by the third _Jaws_ movie.

He nudged Gerard in the arm, gasping when he stirred and nearly toppled them over.

Gerard mumbled, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand. “What?” he hummed, yawning and stretching. “Frank? What?”

“I should probably head home,” Frank said softly, playing with his fingers. “Mom will be expecting me.” His heart panged when Gerard flinched, hands reaching for the smaller before stopping short.

“Yeah, yeah. Okay,” Gerard said, wrapping the cover fully around his body.

Frank slid to the edge, slipping his on sneakers. “I’ll text you when I get home?” he said, more of a question than a statement.

Gerard nodded silently, body seeming to retreat into the blanket.

“I’ll uh, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he mumbled, shifting on his feet. He’d seen Gerard sad before but not this. He didn’t want to leave but he knew if he didn’t, Gerard would be in more trouble. Leaning forward, he touched the un-bruised side of Gerard’s jaw, fingertips sliding over the soft skin before he sighed and walked to the door.

Leaving the house was easy. Don was nowhere to be seen as he walked through the hall and living room, opening the front door quietly.

~

Gerard showed up at school the next day with another bruise, the first one already turning a deep purple. The new one was on the side of his neck and in the shape of a hand and Frank’s blood boiled. 

“Gerard,” Frank started, hand grasping Gerard’s forearm, “is everything okay?” 

The other only shrugged, mumbling something about being late for class.

Frank frowned, following him to the classroom.

As long as he’d known Gerard, he’d never noticed him being abused. He hoped it was a recent thing and Gerard would talk to him about it but, three weeks and several bruises later, Gerard still refused to talk about it. He’d give Frank a hard glare when he brought up the subject, changing it instantly or even walking away from his friend.

~

Frank sighed, laying on his bed and tapping a beat out on his stomach. It was late, after midnight at least, but it was a Friday and Frank was bored out of his mind. Gerard had practically stopped talking to him. He was being reclusive and quieter than usual and Frank wanted to help him. 

The last thing he wanted was for his best friend to end up in the hospital because of his dad.

He let out a deep breath, turning over to his stomach and hugging his pillow. His head jerked up when he heard a sharp tapping on his window.

It came again, urgent and loud.

Frank rolled off his bed, moving to the window and yanking the curtain open. “Fucking-Gerard?!” he whisper-yelled.

“Open the window,” Gerard called out, nodding.

“What are you doing here?” Frank asked the second the window was open.

Gerard quickly crawled through, shutting the window and closing the curtain.

“Gerard?” Frank asked again, voice muffled when Gerard engulfed him in a hug.

“Where’s your parents?” he asked, eyes darting over to the closed door.

“Asleep in their room, why?” Frank replied. Gerard seemed to relax, body becoming slack as he dropped to the bed, arms around his body.

“I need to tell you something,” Gerard said, looking up at Frank. “But you need to promise me that you won’t tell anyone. And I mean no one at all, Frank.”

Frank nodded, licking his bottom lip and sat next to his friend. “I promise.”

Gerard opened his mouth, closing it instantly and scrubbing his face. Frank waited, cautiously placing a hand on Gerard’s back, feeling him tense and relax seconds later. Gerard wrapped his arms around Frank’s waist, pushing them both over on the bed as he buried his face in Frank’s shirt.

Frank realized why a few seconds later. 

He was shaking, body trembling as he cried, clutching Frank’s shirt in his fists. “It-it’s been ha-happening for a… for years,” he choked out.

“What?” Frank blinked, hugging his friend. He was speechless. How had he not seen anything?

Gerard nodded, wiping his nose on Frank’s damp shirt. “A-and n-“ he paused, taking a shaky breath. “The be-beatings only just-just started.”

Frank waited, just listening to Gerard’s shaking breath.

Gerard was silent for a while, just crying and coughing into Frank’s chest. “The… it started when I was a kid. He-he’d always yell at me when I-“ he paused again, coughing. “When I made the sm-smallest mistakes. Then came his fo-form of affection. To-to ‘reward’ me for doing a good… a good job.”

Frank inhaled, hold his breath and prayed Gerard wasn’t about to say what he thought he was going to say.

“He… he rapes me,” he whispered, body shuddered at the memory.

Frank felt like the wind was knocked out of his lungs. _Raped. Gerard is being raped. By his own dad?!_

They lied in silence for a few moments, Gerard’s shaky sobs and Frank’s shallow breathing.

“I won’t tell,” he said. He lied.

Gerard nodded, weakly clenching his fingers around Frank’s upper arms and Frank’s heart panged.

He felt Gerard’s breathing even out, the odd broken sob escaping his throat every now and then before he fell asleep. Frank looked over at his alarm clock, reading 2:34am. He sighed and adjusted Gerard as gently as possible, moving him to his side so he could remove the others shoes and pull the cover over the two of them.

He lied on his side, facing Gerard and stroked his face with his fingers. Old bruises littered his jaw and Frank could feel himself getting angry. He wanted to teach that bastard Gerard called a father a lesson but he was only sixteen and small for his age, not to mention his shitty health. But he knew someone who might help. He formed a plan in his head, one he would act out tomorrow.

Leaning forward, he pressed a soft kiss to Gerard’s forehead and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

~

Frank groaned, feeling the heat of the morning creeping into his room. He stretched, reaching over to the side of his bed, knuckles hitting the wall with a soft thump. His eyes shot open when he felt the bed was empty. “Gerard?”

Looking around his room, he saw the door shut and window open. On his night stand, sticking out from under his alarm clock was a slip of paper. He grabbed it, unfolding it instantly.

_I’m sorry, I had to get home before he woke up. Please don’t tell anyone what I told you. xoG_

“Gerard,” he sighed. “I have to do something though.”

He slid out of bed, getting himself dressed in yesterday’s jeans and a clean shirt. He shoved his feet into his white etnies, using his fingers to pull the back out from under his heel, and brushed his hair. After sending a text to Gerard and pocketing his phone and wallet, he went to the kitchen, pouring himself a bowl of cereal and sitting at the table with his parents.

“Well, you’re up early,” his dad said, pouring milk into his coffee and stirring it.

Frank hummed. “Yeah, I, uh, I gotta do something in town today.” His mom set a glass of orange juice in front of him and he thanked her.

“What do you need to do in town?” she asked, sitting down with her coffee and bagel.

“Just something,” Frank replied, scooping out another spoonful of cereal.

“Ooh, so vague. He’s definitely a teenager,” she chuckled. “Just remember, if you get in trouble with the law, we don’t wanna be your only phone call.”

“Ha ha, very funny,” he sneered, finishing his cereal. He gulped down his juice, taking the dishes to the sink and started to leave the kitchen.

His dad cleared his throat, making Frank look back. “Forgetting something?” he asked, head tilting towards the sink. Frank looked blankly at the few dishes sitting in it. “It’s your day for dishes.”

“Oh,” he said. _Shit._ He trudged over, washing the dishes and placing them in the drainer before heading to the bathroom, brushing his teeth and washing his face. “Okay,” he said, walking to the living room, “I’ll be back later.”

He heard his parents say goodbye as he shut the door and started the jog to the bus stop.

A half hour bus ride into town and five minute walk to the police station and Frank was nervous. _What if they ask for proof? Or for Gerard to testify? Shit, this is a bad idea, but I need to do this._

He steeled himself, walking to the front desk and waiting.

“Yes, son. How can I help you?” the older man asked.

“Um,” Frank took a breath and gulped. “I-I need to report a crime.” _That wasn’t so bad._

“Of course, just wait a few moments while I call for an officer,” the man said, motioning to the chairs off to the side.

Frank nodded, taking a seat. He started bouncing his knees after the man made a call on the phone. He waited for fifteen minutes, sending two texts to Gerard and getting no replies before an officer walked over.

He was a younger man, maybe in his late twenties, with dark hair and eyes. “Hey there, this way please,” he said, leading Frank behind the front desk and to another one a few desks back. “So,” he said as they both sat, “what’s the nature of the crime you wish to report?”

“Um, r-rape,” Frank said. The man wrote something down on a form and Frank continued. “My friend, he’s being raped by his dad.”

“How old is he?” he asked, not looking up from the form.

“Sixteen, almost seventeen.”

“You’re joking, right?” the cop scoffed, frowning at Frank.

“What? No, he is,” Frank said. “I wouldn’t joke about this.”

The cop frowned again, leaning back in his seat, tapping his pen on the form. “You expect me to believe that a seventeen year old male is being raped by his dad?”

“Yes, because he is,” Frank said frowning himself.

“Get the fuck out of here, kid, before I have you arrested for filing a false complaint,” he said, standing and yanking Frank up by the arm.

“What-?” Frank yelped, nearly tripping over the chair. “But I’m serious!” he exclaimed.

“I said get the fuck out of here,” the cop said, dragging Frank to the door and shoving him outside. “And don’t come back or I’ll have your punk ass arrested.”

Frank gaped at him, watching him walk back to his desk, laughing with other cops. “Dick,” he spat, turning to shuffle back to the bus stop. He pulled out his phone. No new messages. He sent another text to Gerard.

_Gerard, please talk to me_

He sighed, waiting for the _message sent_ to disappear before snapping his phone shut and hopping on the bus.

He sent another four text to Gerard and called his cell once, still no reply. It just wasn’t like Gerard. He was prompt as shit when it came to text. Frank was worried. A heavy weight rested on his chest as he stepped off the bus.

_Maybe Gerard’s dad just took his phone away,_ he tried to reason with himself as he walked to his friend’s house. _Or maybe Gerard forgot to charge it? No, that’s stupid. He charges the damn thing every night._

He sent one more text when he was half a block away.

_I’m coming over_

The driveway was empty, so Gerard’s dad definitely wasn’t home yet, that or he already went out. He knocked on the door and waited. Nothing.

He knocked again, louder this time and pressed his ear to the door. “Gerard? Are you home?” he called through. No one answered. 

Frank frowned, looking over at the neighbors houses and seeing no cars in either driveway. He hurried around back, stopping at Gerard’s bedroom window. It was open an inch. He worked the screen away and lifted the window up, climbing through and looking around the room.

“Gerard? Hello?” he called out only to hear silence. He saw Gerard’s phone on his nightstand. When he opened it, he saw there were new texts and a missed called, all from Frank. He knew Gerard wouldn’t leave his phone at home so he must still be there. “Gerard?” he called again, leaving the bedroom and wandering down the hall.

He peeked into his dad’s bedroom, seeing it empty before he continued to the living room. There was no sign of Gerard. It didn’t make sense.

Frank walked back to Gerard’s bedroom, stopping at the bathroom, the only room he didn’t check. He knocked softly and called out Gerard’s name again. 

Nothing.

He tried the knob, finding it unlocked, and pushed the door open slowly. “Sorry if you’re showering…” he trailed off, taking in the room.

There was blood on the floor, a lot of blood, and it was creeping into the grout between the tiles. It was so dark in contrast to the pale body that it almost looked fake. The smell was real though. A thick, almost metallic taste that clung to the back of Frank’s throat, nearly making him gag.

“Oh,” he cried, falling to his knees. The collided with the tile but he was numb to the pain. “Oh God, no.”

The body on the floor was Gerard. He was pale, much paler than usual. Stark naked and body twisted almost painfully. Blood caked his hair and the inside of his thighs. There was so much blood.

Frank crawled forward, feeling the cool liquid under his palms and seeping through his jeans as he reached for Gerard. “Gerard-no,” he pleaded. “You-you can’t be…” He brushed Gerard’s hair away from his face, gently prying the strands that stuck into the drying blood. He let out a sob when he saw Gerard’s face.

Cuts and bruises littered the soft skin, turning to too many colors for Frank to name. His nose and most likely his jaw were broken, bent at unusual angles.

His eyes were open, faded and lifeless and Frank choked back a sob.

_This has to be a dream! No! This can’t be real!_ He turned Gerard over, pressing his hand to his neck and hoping there was at least a weak pulse.

Nothing.

His body was cold, unmoving. He was dead.

Frank hovered over his friend, smoothing his fingers over his cheek. His vision blurred and he wiped at his own eyes.

He was furious. He knew exactly who did this but Frank didn’t know how could stop him. He already tried the cops and they laughed at him. He knew he’d never be able to take Gerard’s dad on himself. The man was huge. He’d probably end up killing Frank too, given the chance.

Frank cried softly, leaning down and resting his head on Gerard’s still chest. “I’m sorry Gerard. I sh-should have gotten here sooner.”

He cracked his eyes open, peering around the too bright bathroom. The medicine cabinet caught his interest and his eyes widened. His body moved without a second thought, yanking the cabinet open and searching. He grabbed out the first full bottle he found, ignoring the label and ripping off the cap. He stopped, looking into the bottle. There had to be at least thirty little orange pills, filling less than half of the bottle. He gulped, fingers tightening around the plastic and placed it to his mouth, dry swallowing as many as he could.

He coughed, covering his mouth and turning on the tap. Leaning over, he drank the water straight from the tap before tipping the bottle back again, repeating the process until all of the pills were gone. Frank dropped the bottle into the sink, shutting the water off and sitting on the floor, back against the tub. He looked over at Gerard, grabbing him under the arms and tugging him in between his legs, head on his chest.

Sighing, he ran his fingers through Gerard’s matted hair, gently working the knots out. 

He didn’t know how long he sat there, listening to the sound of his slowing breathing. He could feel his body becoming heavy and he reached for his phone, digging it out of his pocket. With shaking fingers, he wrote out one more text to Gerard, setting the phone on the floor next to him. He leaned his head back, knocking it off the edge of the tub as he blacked out.

_I never got to tell you how much I love you, I’m sorry, xoFrank_


End file.
